DANNY Holmes has insisted York City are now looking up the National League rather than over their shoulders.

Victory today at Solihull Moors, as long as Woking don’t win by a goal margin that is two greater, would move the Minstermen up to seventh-bottom in the standings, as high as they have been positioned since the end of September.

Mathematically, meanwhile, it remains possible for Gary Mills’ team, who still hover above the relegation zone on goal difference, to end the campaign in the top half of the table and an optimistic Holmes said: “We want to finish as high as we can now we’re out of the bottom four and I feel really positive about the situation.

“Since January, our run has been unbelievable (the Minstermen have only lost three of their 20 games since New Year’s Day) and we’ve got to take great credit for that. If we’d had this team at the beginning of the season, things would have been a lot different, but we are where we are and you’re only ever as good as your next game, so we’ve got to keep it up.

“We will get a reaction from Solihull after their big defeat and will have to meet that head on and look to manage the game. They will be looking to put things right after that result, but we’re looking to win every game now and we’re more than capable of doing that.”

After opening his account for City with the second goal at Chester in front of a raucous away end, Holmes is also hoping to again reward the supporters, who are expected to travel to Damson Park in their droves.

“The fans have been brilliant since I’ve been here,” the 28-year-old utility man enthused. “The noise they make is unbelievable and we’re giving them something to cheer about, so they’re getting right behind us.”

Following his man-of-the-match display at the Deva Stadium, Holmes is now aiming to retain a starting place for the first time since January 1, having lost his shirt for the previous match – the 2-0 home defeat to Bromley.

“Even when you’re not in the side, you’re made to feel involved and, whilst I was gutted to be left out of the Bromley game, everyone rallied around me,” the Birkenhead-born wing-back added. “I’ve been knocking on the manager’s door a couple of times this season to tell him I should be playing.

“Hopefully, I won’t have to do that anymore and can stop being a nightmare for him. I’ve been about for a while now, so I know how to keep myself fit when I’m not playing and, in training, I’ve proven I’m more than good enough to play.

“I made a big contribution against Chester after getting my chance again and I’m hoping to stay in there for the majority of the season now. When you’re up against people for your place, it brings the best out of me and I think that’s happening now.

“I feel I’ve played really well during my last three games but it’s not about me – it’s about the team.”

While glory is normally bestowed on those that hit the back of the net, Holmes went on to reveal that he was more pleased with the goal-saving tackle he made on Chester’s Johnny Hunt last weekend, rather than his 75th-minue strike.

“I celebrated my tackle more than the goal, because I thought it was more of a game changer,” Holmes explained. “I saw their player at the last second and thought, if I don’t stay with him, he’s going to be clear on goal.

“Luckily, I managed to find a bit of pace from somewhere to slide in and block it. The goal then gave us a bit of breathing space and we felt, from then on, that we were going to win.”

The former AFC Fylde defender reasoned too that his goal was a by-product of Vadaine Oliver’s aerial dominance and Mills’ tactical take on the team’s 3-4-3 formation.

“Vadaine’s brilliant in the air,” Holmes declared. “He wins the majority of headers and I saw a gap, so I told him to flick it in there.

“After it landed to me, I was pleased to see it go in after a slight deflection and, to be honest, most of the goals in my career have been with my left foot. Scoring goals isn’t really my game, but it’s nice to pop up with the odd one.

“The way we play, we also know our roles in the formation and the gaffer is always telling us to move inside if the ball is on the other side and I think that’s how I got my goal.”

Holmes’ edge-of-the-box effort was only his fifth from more than 200 appearances in English football’s top five divisions and he confessed it will remain a memorable strike.

“I scored the winner to take Tranmere seven points clear at the top of League One (in October 2012) with a really good goal against Yeovil,” he recalled. “But I think the importance of the one at Chester ranks quite high as well, especially with me being in and out of the team.”